Day 1 & 2a | Osaka Arrival and USJ Intro

So you see, am combining Day 1 & Day 2 for a very simple reason, despite that we flew off at 8ish morning on 26 December, we actually arrived kinda late ie at 3ish evening... well, close to 4 in fact. Taking into the fact that the luggage, the immigration, the finding out how to get to hotel etc... YUP! We kinda left the airport around 4ish or so. ANNNNNNND..... that's not it, the daylight ends at..... jeng jeng jeng (ala ala drum roll)...... 4ish too. You heard me right, 4PM!!!! (Bukan 2PM cam band Korea tuh tau!).

It look superbly dark (take note of the word "SUPERBLY") out side, we know that we will lose 1 day traveling (due to winter mah, daylight SHORTER). Thus, for those going there soon on the same AA flight... plan well on day of arrival yah!

I told a couple of you guys (or perhaps only Chawanna cos they will be going in the near period) that for this trip, I intend to plan it LOSE. No timing, pre-booking etc, no nothing; we just go with the flow. Nama pun holiday kan kan kan.... Actually, there's a reason why I plan it in such, but can't pen it down, I kan cercite verbally jek. 

Here's my rough itinerary (shopping will take place celah celah bedah during the daysss [teringin nak guna Biq nye line]) :

Day 1 : Arrival Osaka

Day 2 : Universal Studios Japan  (my sis will mangok if I skip this)

Day 3 : Depart to Kyoto & Sightseeing

Day 4 : Arashiyama

Day 5 : Fushimi Inari & Nara

Day 6 : Depart to Kyoto & shopping

Day 7 : Depart from Osaka (balik Malaysia ler tuh)

Few things I did not get myself prepared, simply because this too was a very last minute trip and also because I did not travel with my usual travel partner kot, mood agak terjejas. Hence, the modus operandi has to be tweaked ler obviously. 

First, Osaka.... Osaka in my view is an INDUSTRIAL or PORT town ie cam Port Klang or perhaps Penang (minus the sites and foods). So, agak bosan for me.... asyik nampak serombong asap jek... the high rise can be seen in town itself but it wasn't the same feel as Tokyo though. So, obviously Tokyo will win hands down ler kan kan kan... to me that is.

We arrived at Osaka Station yang nala punya besau, KL Sentral tuh kira child play jek, bear in mind that we arrive on the land platform, not knowing how many stories there is further underground. But, what we saw is that Isetan, Uniqlo and a Mall is in this building. Train track berjimba jimba you, first thing that ran in my mind - ICAM & RAIYAN (anak Maimon, case suka choo choo nih). It was a facinating sight EVEN if you are not into train, sumpah tak tipu.

  

Over description on top lak, sowweee....

Osaka's train & exit direction was very detailed, they even put it on pillers (this doesn't happen in all station yah, so keep the expectation right *wink*). I think because of the station scale thus the thorough and overcommunicated info. Baguis ler kan tuk traveler cam kite nih.

Screen detail? In Japanese obviously, it DOES change to English but not THAT detail, will do for common travelers. I believe we are smart enough to gauge and interpret kan. Hahhahaha perasan tuh...

 

  This impresses me kay, the lines indicate where for you to stand, so jangan pandai pandai nak diri luar dari line. Depa discipline giler. Don't ask me what the direction on the floor means, am clueless as well but I assume suruh kite line up ler kot. Hahhaah....

Train map will be included in next entry yah.

 

OK! Our hotel indicated that it is located near the bay area. Agak riak masa dapat tau, Oh yah! my accommodation on the first 2 nights in Osaka was courtesy of Anna - my old travel buddy. She was claiming her loyalty card points, meaning memang FREE ler kan kan kan.... Muahhaha.... am sooo sayang-ed, jangan jeles. Keh keh keh....

So, this is the view from hotel, boring kan? The blurred building is a mall, a small-boring-nothing-inside-close-at-8pm MALL!!!

 

 But since god gave us rejeki, jangan complain, redho jek. Hhehehhe.... ayat cover line takut tuhan mawah!

 

The great thing about this hotel is that they are affiliated with USJ, meaniiiiiiiiing....... I can buy the USJ tix at the business centre!!!! PERFECTO MUNDO!

Tix cost are as below (so far, I noticed there's no online purchase) :

1 Day/Studio Pass - 6200Yen (A), 4100Yen (C), 5500Yen (S) 

2 Day/Studio Pass - 10700Yen (A), 7200Yen (C)

1.5 Day/Twilight & Day Pass - 8200 (A), 6100 (C)

This is a building next to our's, wallahullam apa dia but I was bored while waiting for the shuttle bus to take us to USJ, soooo... snappy snap ler kan.

 

This is my shuttle, okay lar. Gambar ekcelli nak tunjuk rambut baru with a bang. SHE BANG! SHE BANG! Ricky Martin yo! Lepas nih, rambut sure berselerak, biasa ler, cantek masa pagi jek lepas tuh - *berdengus*. Hahhahaha......

We passed by this building, siap nak bangun dah nih sebab ingat dah sampai; maklum ler excited kan... rupa nye bukan... CIS! tipah tertipu! You wanna know what this is? HOTEL!!!! Abit rundown as we got closer, but it is near USJ ler kan.

 Hotel nearer to USJ akan di khabor kan in next entry.

REACHED! Ntah apa ler depa promote nih...

Hello Kitty in USJ okay! The only one in da world!!

Eh! Snoopy tuh... they all in USJ PLUS Sesame Street! Yang kat US ada Simpsons & Dora if not mistaken. I haven't blog about USLA pun... pemalas nye....

Next entry on USJ over the weekend kot, will be on what to buy, see, rides and shows.

As well as Universal City Walk and hotel nearest to it.